Sizer and grader



A". M. OQULNN.

SIZER AND GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30,1920-l A. IVI. OQUINN.

SIZER AND GRADER.

APPLICATloN FILED JULY 30,1920.

Patented May 24;, M21,

Al M. OQUINN.

SIZER AND GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30 1920.

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SIZER AND I Specioation of Letters Patent.

Patented Maya-4, 1921.

Application tiled J'uly 30,v 1920. -Serial Io.'400,059.

To all whom 'may concern:

Beit known thatl,

Y"a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Miami, in the county of Dade and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Sizer and Grader, (Case (1,) of which the following is a specication.

The machine forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be employed for grading fruit, vegetables and other articles, one object oi the invention being to "simplify the mounting of the members whereby the sizing operation is accomplished. Another object of the invention is so to construct the machine that the material to be sized will be fed positively to the mems bers whereby the sizing operation 1s brought about. AY further object of the invention is to reduce the number of parts and to strengthen the machine.

1t is within the province of the disclosure to improveV generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

W'ith` the above and other objects in view, which will Aappear as the description proceeds,` the invention resides in the comb1na.

tion and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise .embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in vertical longitudinal Vsection' a machine constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a) transverse section; Fig. 3 is a fragmental top plan showing a portion of one of the conveyer chains and the links which carry the grading or sizing members; Fig. 4 is a'sectional detail taken through one of the sizing 'rollers and attendant parts, certain elements appearing in elevation; Fig. 5 is a top plan of the complete machine.

In carrying out the invention there is a frame 1 which may be constructed in various ways without jeopardizing the utility of the device hereinafter described and claimed. The frame 1 may include upper supports 2, which may be angle members. The frame 1 embodies ay lower support 3. Above the support 3 are located oppositely ARTHUR M. lOQUiNrn inclined deilectors 4, shown in Fig." 2, the deiectors discharging u on packing tables 5,1% as 1s common and well3 understood in the a 'A drive. shaft 6 is supported for rotation on one end of the frame 1, a shaft 7 Lbein supported for rotation on the opposite end of the frame, the frame carrying an inter1 mediate shaft 8, located between the shafts 7 and 6, and relatively near to the shaft 8. j

There are sprocket wheels 9 on the-shaft 7,

the shaft-6 being supplied with sprocket wheels 11, the shaft 8 having sprocket wheels 10: Drums 12 are mounted on the shaft 7, similar drums 14: being carried by the shaft An inclined table 15 is mounted .on the frame 1 and extends from a point adjacent to thesprocket wheels 9, over and in front ofthe intermediate shaft 8.

The machine includes a conveyor comprising chains 16 engaged around the sprocket wheels 9 and 11j The upper runs of the sprocket chains 16 move along the upper supports 2, the lower runs of the chains 16, and parts carried thereby, moving along the lower support 3. The chains 16 coperate with the sprocket wheels 10 on the intermechate shaft 8 and it is to be observed that, owing to the provision of the sprocket wheelsr 10, portions of the chains 16, and parts carried thereby are sup ort'ed while the chains are moving forwar ly along the fabi@ 15.

Certain of the links of the chains V16 are provided with vinwardly extended project1ons or gine-17 mounted in the ends of a tube 18. he tube 18 forms a pivotal mounting for the inner ends of links 19, the links 19being disposed in pairs and being mounted to swing in vertical planes. yThe links 19 are prevented from moving longitudinally ofthe tube 18 by collars 2O on the tube, these collars being disclosed clearly in Fig. 3. In the outer ends of the links 19 there are openings 21 facilitating the mounting of rollers 22, the rollers constituting sizing members, as will be evident from what is stated hereinafter. The links 19 are provided with inwardly extendedl flanges 23 having openings 24 adapted to receive screws 25 or other attaching elements, re-

c taining fillers 26 on the respective links 19` side of the machine. rlFhe fillers 26 may be concaved or out away, as indicated at 75, so as to overhang and coperate with the sizin members 22 (see Fig. e).

he machine includes a track made up of rails 27', the terminal rails of the track being designated by the numeral 36, the terminal rails 36 resting on the drum 14 of the shaft 6, as shown in Fig.v 1. rlFhe ends of the several track rails are pivotally' mounted onA supports 28, whichmay be rods. Vertical screws 29 are provided, thelowerends of the t wheels 32, each shaft being provided, at one end, with a squared extremity 35, adapted y to receive a wrench or key (not shown) whereby rotation may be imparted to the shaft.

ln practical operation, the conveyer chains 16 are advanced in the direction of the arrow A, in Fig. l, through the instrumentality ofthe drive shaft 6 and its sprocket wheels 1l. At the rig-hthand end ofthe machine (Fig. l), the links 19 are disposed in substantial alinement, the fillers 26 being alined, and the sizing members 22 moving along the table 15. The fruit or other material to be sized is delivered into the machine at the right hand end. thereof. (Fig. 1). Whilethe rollers or sizing members 22 are traversing the table 15, the fruit is distributed between the sizing members 22 of adjacent pairs, and is arranged in ylines extended transversely of the machine. Consequently, before the sizing operation actually begins,gtheA material is distributed and arranged in such a way that there willbe no choking or crowding when the sizing operation is begun. Noting Fig. 4, it will be observed that the inner edges of the arts 26 abut, as indicated at 76, when the inks 19 are in alinement. Consequently, when the sizing members 22 are moving along the table 15, the parts 26 are maintained in parallel relation .to the table,and cannot sag Y, downwardly. The distribution of the fruit or other material to the sizing members 22 is promoted, by the construction and the operation last above' alluded to.

Rotation may be imparted to the shafts 33, the worms 34 driving the worm wheels 32. When the worm wheels 32 are rotated, the screws 29 will be raised and lowered,

lbecause the screws are threaded intoy the worm wheels. The supports 28 will be raised or lowered, along with the screws, and, since the supports carry, pivotally, the

ends ofthe track rails 27 the track rails may navega? the rollers or sizing elements 22 to coperate with the track rails. An inspection of Fig. l will render it evident that as the sizing members 22 approach the left hand end of the machine, the sizing members of adjacent pairs 4will be spaced apart more widely than at the right hand end of the machine, since the track rails 27 at the left hand end of the machine are lower than the track rails at the right hand end of the machine. Consequently, the fruit or other material of smaller size will drop ,downwardly adjacent to the right hand end of the machine, the fruit being graded according to size, as the fruit is advanced toward the left end of the machine. The fruit, havinglbeen graded, isreceived by the deflectors 4f and carried upon the packing tables 5.

l lt is to be observed that one end roller 22 of each pair is thrust along the track 27 by the action of the conveyer whereas, the

other roller of each pair is dragged along the track by the action of the conveyer. This operation reduced the strain on the machine materially. The rollers 22 between which the sizing operation takes place, are

in approximately the same plane with respectto the horizontal. @wing to the construction above alluded to, and owing to the further fact that the fillers 26 converge downwardly toward the rollers which are effecting the sizing operation, there is an even distribution of the material to be sized, and a positive feed of the material to the sizing rollers.

The tube 18 constitutes merely an element whereon the inner. ends of thel links 19 arev mounted pivotally, and'especial attention is directed to the fact that the tube 18 has absolutely nothing whatever to do with the sizing operation, the sizing taking'place between the rollers 22 of adjoining pairs, an

observation which will be understood clearly when Fig. 1 of the drawings is noted. As

the conveyer is advanced, the links 19 are f Laveno? members disposed in pairs and traversing the track; means for connecting one sizing member of each pair to the conveyer and for imparting a thrust along the track from the conveyer to said member; and means or connecting the other sizing member of each pair to the conveyer and for imparting a 4 dra along the track from the conveyer to sai member.

3. A sizer and grader comprising members between which the material is sized; a conlveyer; means or mounting said members on the conveyer for Swingin movement toward and away fromv each ot erin the arcs of circles; and means for limiting the swinging movement of said members, thereby to regulate the sizing spacetherebetween.

4. A 'sizer and grader embodying a conveyer; links having a common pivotal mounting on the conveyer; sizing members 'carried bythe outer ends of the links and mounted to swing with the links, thereby to vary the sizing space between said members; and means for adjusting and regulating the swin ing movement of the links and of said mem ers.

5. A sizer and grader embodying a conve'yer; links 'having their inner ends pivoted to the conveyer; slpzin members carried by the outer ends of the Iink's and mounted to swing with the links; fillers mounted on the links and bridging the space between the sizing members; and mechanism for regulating the swinging movement of the links when the links are advanced by the conveyer.

6.' A sizer and grader comprising .a conveyer; pairs of links pivoted at their inner ends to the conveyer; members at the outer ends of the links, the members of the links oadj oining pairs coacting to eiect a'sizing of the material; and means effective when the corfveyer is advanced, for moving the links of each pair progressively from a position of approximate longitudinal alinement to a position in which the links of each pair are at `an angle to each other, thereby to adjust the sizing space between said members on the links of adjoining pairs.

v. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ailixed my signa.- ture 1n the presence of two"witnesses.

y ARTHUR M. OQUINN.

Witnesses z IvYvE. SIMPSON, -MAsoN B. LAwroN. 

